6 X 02 BITTER DRAUGHT – – What were your favorite and least favorite moments

That’s the second ep where I actually enjoyed a good chunk of it. And this time it was a Hook moment that was one of my highlights. Who am I and what have I done with the real me?! LOL

Hook’s sincere apology, and self awareness that he’s really NOT actually a redeemed hero just yet was quite surprising and greatly appreciated! I felt like Belle’s side of the conversation let the scene down a bit though, because it came off like she was already kinda like “bygones” as far as the attempted murder.

The flirting between Rumple and EQ was really quite squicky. But Bobby and Lana both nailed the delivery of the lines. So I’m a bit unsure how I feel about that whole hot mess. I can almost rationalise EQ coming onto him in SB, because without the Regina side in her any more, EQ just has ZERO chill, there’s no conscience whatsoever to hold her back from saying or doing anything innapropriate. Rumple being all up on her in the flashback was quite unsettling, given the almost paternal relationship they’ve set up, and the fact that he also lusted after her mother. *shudder*

Bobby was having so much fun in those flashback scenes, and was a delight! I’m not in the camp who thinks the show is ending this season, but I do think Rumple will die. Bobby could still sign on to come back now and again for flashbacks, and that way he’d get to play the version of the character that he quite clearly revels in playing.

Please keep Archie in every ep, I didn’t even realise how much I’ve missed him. <3

The guy who played the Count, he was great. Maybe the best single ep guest star they’ve ever had? He engaged me in the flashbacks, so they were more than just an *insert yet another time EQ tried to kill Snow and Charming* bit that would typically feel totally shoehorned in. And in the present day he actually kicked me square in the feels in the scene where he’d been fighting Snowing and saying that he didn’t want it to be this way, but he couldn’t help it. I actually felt some desperation from him and felt sorry for him, so well played, whatever that actor’s name was.

The CGI rendered rooms seemed to be done slightly better? But whenever there was a shot that had both Regina and EQ in and they were facing each other, the eyelines were just a little bit off and it took me out of the moment, which is a shame because Lana was nailing every line in this ep.

WHAT were those shoes that Regina was wearing though? Just…do we really think that Regina Mills would be seen dead in those horrible shoes? And what even with Emma’s wardrobe…was that white top supposed to be referencing swan wings or something?

EQ sing-songing like Rumple the “Tear yourselves apart”….I’m living for this!

That was the best moment of the ep for me. Lana’s delivery was perfection and made me chuckle.

Snow and Charming were wandering around with their weapons for no reason last episode, but were conveniently unarmed when the Count attacked them.

OMG you’re so right. *facepalm*

I felt that this episode was miles ahead of last week.  It was narratively cohesive and generally more polished.  I do feel that last week was very much “let’s just speed through the crap and try to get to a better starting point for what we want this season to be”.  They couldn’t drop threads from last season, but equally they seemed to want to try and make everything happen at lightning speed which, as Zelena alluded to, is very unusual.

 
Liked:
• Evil Queen:  Sword fighting, flirting with Rumple, evil plans and great line delivery.  I hadn’t realised just how much I missed this character and I am sad that she most likely won’t be around again after the first run of episodes.  It is a great shame that the show doesn’t have more (what I would call) “Legacy” characters to play with (Evil Queen, Rumple, Snow).  I’m really disappointed with how they handled Merlin, who could have been a really strong character that was worked in behind-the-scenes of everything and who had a lot more knowledge about the rules of the Once universe and perhaps someone who could open doors to places we didn’t even know about.  The universe could have been a whole lot richer than it is and it feels like in recent years it has just been diluted.
• Belle wasn’t too annoying.
• The David father reveal wasn’t quite as predictable as we were anticipating, which was nice. I’m intrigued to know what is going on there.
• I loved the fact that the Evil Queen clearly has some insight into secrets that are being kept and stories with the core characters that they don’t want to be played out. I hadn’t even thought of this possibility and it raises the stakes more than just having throwaway characters with secrets.
• Probably a lot more but I need to rewatch first!

Mixed:
• Some of the Regina/Evil Queen compositing was done well, but the scene in the woods was really bad.  Why is it that Orphan Black is able to pull this off so well but Once can’t?
• Did Regina and Zelena’s sisterly bonding literally consist of having ONE appletini each?  And couldn’t they magically clear up after themselves?

Disliked:
• As everyone else has pointed out, this season has the feel that it is going to be tying up loose ends and so I will be sad if it ends.  I have no idea where they could go from this season though (not that that has stopped them before). I feel as though the fact that ABC may have been wavering about the show over the years means that they have had to keep veering towards wrapping up, and then pulling it back, over and over again.

The Count’s ballroom was surprisingly pretty. Normally scenes like that scream “green screen!” with its poor rendering.

I too was very impressed with the ballroom.  For a second, I didn’t think it was CGI.

Pretty solid episode for me. I like the mystery elements they’re putting into place. I’d give it a B.

Liked:
– Lana Parilla continues to amaze after 6 seasons. I really hope she gets an Emmy at some point.
– I love Rumple/Gold best as the twisted imp. I also hope Robert gets his much deserved Emmy.
– I’m intrigued by Charming’s dad mystery. I appreciate they are revisiting something from two seasons ago (exactly actually – 4×02 and 6×02).

Mixed:
– I really enjoyed the actor who played the Count and his story – although it ironically made me want to know more about his story so it still feels somewhat untold. That’s probably because I’m not familiar with the original story though.
– Zelena’s insecurity and temptation to embrace EQ does fit her character, but shouldn’t the fact Regina sealed her vault with blood magic show Zelena that Regina at least has some faith in her still?

Disliked:
– Why are Snow and Charming randomly out and about in Storybrooke when they know someone out there is looking to kill them? Couldn’t they at least have been trying to hide?
– Emma still not telling her family what’s going on. It feels so Season 1 Emma. You would think going to Hell and back would cause some character development.
– Emma not being sure if she can trust Regina as revealed in the final scene. I really don’t want this to play out as Emma not trusting Regina and then Regina is angry and hurt and does something she regrets. We’ve already been there.

Hook apologised to Belle- that was the highlight of the episode for me.

FTL Rumple seemed a little drunk- does anyone else think this or is it just me.

Henry continues to irritate- I think they should kill him off and that can be the thing that unites the family in grief. Henry is the weakest link on this show.

So Snowing comes across an injured villager in a burned down village and their response is to offer him the chance to be a servant for them?